Boat or ship construction.



C. W. WHITE.

BOAT 0R SHIP CONSTRUCTIN.

c. w. wHiE.

BA 0R SHIP CONS'TRUCYION. Armcmon fluo IAR. 1, 191s.

Patented Oct. 2, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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BOAT R SHIP CONSTRUCTION'.

Specication of Letters Patent.

` Patented Oct. 2, 1917.

Application led March 1, 1916. Serial No. 81,400.

` To alt whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CLARENCE WILBUR VHITE, a citizen of the United States, residing `at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Boat or Ship Construction, of which the following is lavspeoification.

My present invention relates to boat or ship construction applicable to both over sea and under sea types.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a boat or ship so constructed that the hull may be quickly raised or lowered with respectto the water line or water level; to provide a boat orship embodying a hull which is comparatively inexpensive to construct and maintain in good repair; to so dispose the hull that the lower portion is normally open to the sen bottomL and its upper portion normally closed to the atmosphere so that the boat is sustained ex# tending above the water surface by air entrapped or forced into the hull; and, to provide a boat or ship embodying means whereby an yopening accidentally or inaliciously formed in the,hull will be effec-` tively closed to prevent sinking or submerging of the vessel. t

Another object of the invention is to provide aA boat or ship embodying a keel which will not become damaged should it run afoul, and means whereby the hull with the keel may beraised off ground in order to' free the boat or ship of a reef, shoal kor lother obstruction.

Other objects of theinvention will appear in the following detailedk description, taken in connection with the accompanying draw' ing forming a part of this specification, an( in which drawings: 'i

Figure l is a side elevation of a ship con,-` structed according to ymy invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged partial transverse sectional view through the same.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the directionof the arrow.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through a portionof the wall of the hull,

showing plates inoperative relation thereto.

' AIn the drawings, where similar characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views, A designates the hull having an open bottom B an upper portion C closed to the atmosphere; D a keel; E a waist; F means for introducing fiuid under pressure to within the hull A; G means for releasing fluid pressure from within the hull; H supplement-al means ora storage tank for supn plying fluid under pressure to within the hull; and J, means for automatically closing any opening in the hull below the waist E which may be accidentally or maliciously formed therein.

Referring first to the hull A, for the sake of simplicity, all structural members such as braces, stringers and the like have been omitted from the drawings, the hull being of the usual shape but when launched the open portion B of its main cavity is lowermost, and submerged in the water, so that air or fluid under pressure is confined within the hull, and more specifically above the water line 5, within the hull, which fills the cavity 6.

lAny suitable means, such as the keel D, extending longitudinally of the hull and supported as by braces 7, may be provided to stabilize the hull and prevent it from turning turtle. -The keel may be of any suitable material, preferably metal, so that itis not likely to become damaged if engaging a reef, the keel being rounded, as indicated at 8, at the bow and also rounded as indicated by character 9 at the stern.

In order to provide means for supporting decks and a protection for mechanism to be used hereinafter described, a suitable waist, preferably of metal, is secured to the closed upper portion of the hull and may be provided with port holes 10, of any suitable 'type to exclude water from entering within the waist. Since the hull may be raised and lowered with respect to the water line by introducing Huid pressure within the cavity 6. or exhausting it therefrom, it

is preferred to extend the waist E into closel 'Y proximity to the water line so that if de@ sired the vessel may be lowered sufficiently to project only slightly above the water line,

or become entirely submerged, as in a sub1 ply from pump 11 through pipe 18 in which is disposed a control valve 1 9, and a delivery pipe 20 opens to within thevcavlty 6, and in which pipe is disposed control valve 21. Thus, even though pumpl 11 may be inactive, if there is a sufficient supply of fluid under pressure within tank 17, the hull A may be'raised by opening valve 21.

In order to prevent the escape of a suicient amount of lluid from within the hull should the sidev become pierced accidentally or maliciously, and by a shell, and which might interfere with the stability .of the vessel, means J is 'provided and comprlses a plurality of sets of plates 22 and 23, the` platesof each sety being disposed upright in close proximity to and movable-,toward or from the walls of the hull.' Asa suitable means for movably supporting the plates, they may be hinged at their upper end portions to a rod 24 supported from the hull in any suitable manner. The lower portions of the plates carry rollers 25 adapted to rest upon suitable supports 26, which,l

when the plates are hinged, should be formed arcuate in transverse section,l as

clearly shown in Fig. 2 ofthe drawing, I also prefer to dispose the plates of one set,

such as the plates 27 of set 22 in overlap-v ping relation to the plates 28 of set 23, as clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings` By this construction, should a shelll pierce the wall of the hull, the shell will engage one of the plates of set 22, which will yield slightly, and in the exampleshown, swing about its pivot point, having a tendency to compress the Huid within cavity. 6, which is already under pressure. Thus the plates not only serve as-a shock-absorbing means, but

due to the fluid pressure within the hull.

- move toeffectively seal any opening which might occur in the hull walls'.

While I show the .ship or boat equipped with the usual propeller 30 and rudder 31 exteriorly of the hull A, it isto be understood that these devices may be placed in any practical position with respect to the hull, and if desired, in .a more protracted position, such as extending below the open bottom B of the hullat both sides of, or to the rear of keel D.

From the foregoing it is made manifest thatI provide a boat or ship which is buoyed wholly by fluid pressure coming directly Aupon the water, and that the relative position ofl the hull with respect to the water line may be changed by introducing more fluid under pressure to within the hull, or

vexhausting a part of the fluid therefrom.

While I have herein shown and described my invention as applied to a relatively large ship, it is to be understood that the substance of my invention is applicable to` vessels of various types and over sea, as well as under sea boats.

Changes in details may be made without departing from ythe spirit or scope of my invention; but

I claim: 1. In a boat or ship, the combination of a hull with its open portion lowermost and its upper portion above thewater line normally closed to the atmosphere, and 'a keel. below said open portion of the hull.

. 2. In a boat or ship, a hull. providing a main cavity extending from Wall to wall of the hull with its open portion lowermost and-its upper portion above the water line normally closed to the atmosphere. 1

' 3. In a boat or ship, the combination of a hull with its open portion lowermost and its upper portion above the water line normally closed to the atmosphere, a keel below said open portion of the hull, and a waist about the upper portion of said hull.

4, In a boat or ship, the combination of a Vhull providinga main cavity extending from wall to wall of the 'hull with its open portion -lowermost and its upper portion above the water line normally closed to the atmosphere, and means for 4introducing fluid under pressure into said cavity.

5. In a boat or ship, the combination of a hull with its open portion lowermost and its upper portion above the waterline normally closed-tothe atmosphere, a keelfbevarying the volume of the air trapped.

7. In a boat or ship, the combination of a hull with its open portion lowermost and.

its upper portion above thev water line normally closed to the atmosphere, and a plu.

. rality of plates hinged within said hull adjacent the walls thereof.'

8. In a boat or ship, the combination of a hull with its open portion lowermost and its upper portion above the water line normally closed to the atmosphere, and a plurality of plates within said hull adjacent the walls thereof, andarranged in staggered relation. v

9. In a boat or ship, the combination of a hull with its open portion lowermost and,

its upper portion above the Water line normally closed to the atmosphere, a plurality of plates hinged at their upper portions within said hull adjacent the Walls thereof, and supports for the lower ends of said plates.

10. In a boat or ship, the combination of a hull with its open portion lowermost and its upper portion above the Water line normally closed to the atmosphere, and a plurality of plates hinged at their upper ends within said hull adjacent the Walls thereof, and provided with rollers at their lower portions, and supports carried by said hull upon which said rollers engage.

1I. In a boat or ship, the combination of a hull with its open portion lowermost and its upper' portion above the water line normally closed to the atmosphere, and a plurality of plates hinged at their upper portions Within said hull adjacent the Walls thereof and provided with rollers at their lower portions, and arcuate supports carried by said hull upon Which said rollers engage.

12. In a boat or ship, the combination of.

a hull with its open portion lowermostand its upper portion above the Water line normally closed to the atmosphere, and a plurality of sets of upright plates movably supported Within said hull adjacent the Walls thereof, the plates of one set being in overlapping relation with respect to the plates of the next adjacent set.

13. In a boat or ship, the combination of a hull, meansfor introducingl and maintaining fluid under pressure Within said hull, and a plurality of plates movably supported within said hull adjacent the Walls thereof.

1l. In a boat or ship. the combination of a hull, means for introducing and maintaining fluid under pressure -Within said hull, and a plurality of plates hinged Within said hull adjacent the Walls thereof.

15. In a boat or ship, the combination of a hull. means for introducing and maintainingl fluid under pressure within said hull, and a plurality of plates hinged at their upper portions Within said hull adjacent the walls thereof.

16. In a boat or ship, the combination of a hull, means for introducing and maintaining fluid under pressure within said hull, a plurality of plates hinged at their upper portions Within said hull adjacent the walls thereof, and supports for the lower ends of said plates.

17. In a boat or ship, the combination of a hull, means for introducing and maintaining fluid under pressure within said hull, a plurality of plates hinged at their upper portions within said hull adjacent the walls thereof, and provided with rollers at their lower portions, and supports carried by said hull upon which said rollers engage,

I8. In a boat or ship, the combinationof a hull, means for introducing and maintaining tluid under pressure within said hull,

a plurality of plates hinged at their upper portions Within said hull adjacent the walls thereof and provided with rollers at their lower portions, and arcuate supports carried by said hull upon which said rollers engage.

19. In a boat or ship, the combination of a hull, means for introducing and maintaining fluid under pressure Within said hull, and a plurality of sets of upright plates movably supported Within said hull adjacent the Walls thereof, the plates of one set being in overlapping relation with respect to the plates of the next adjacent set.

20. In a boat or ship, the combination of a hull with its open portion loivermost and itsvupper portion above the Water line normally closed to the atmosphere, and a plurality of plates movably supported Within said hull adjacent the walls thereof.

21. In a boat or ship. the combination of a hull u'itlrits open portion lowermost and its upper portion above the water line normally closed to the atmosphere, and a plurality of plates hinged at their upper portions within said hull adjacent the Walls thereof.

CLARENCE WILBUR IVHITE. 

